War in Libya: The Weapons and the Matchups

Before the allied intervention, Muammar Gaddafi's troops moved steadily west against the rebels. Artillery and rockets provided a "rolling barrage"—a curtain of shells and rockets to kill and disrupt defenders with a creeping explosive line, preceding the advance of ground troops. The Libyan army used the BM-21, which can fire 40 122-mm rockets in 20 seconds, to shatter defenses.Vs. Opposition Infantry

Libya: BM-21-Multiple Rocket Launcher

Libya: BM-21-Multiple Rocket Launcher

Before the allied intervention, Muammar Gaddafi's troops moved steadily west against the rebels. Artillery and rockets provided a "rolling barrage"—a curtain of shells and rockets to kill and disrupt defenders with a creeping explosive line, preceding the advance of ground troops. The Libyan army used the BM-21, which can fire 40 122-mm rockets in 20 seconds, to shatter defenses.

Rebels: Opposition Infantry

Rebels: Opposition Infantry

The mostly untrained opposition, some of whom armed themselves with military stockpiles until government airplanes bombed those weapons depots, could do nothing but hunker down until the barrage stopped. If done correctly, the Libyan tanks, armored personnel carriers and weaponized pickup trucks would have been on top of the defenders before the rebels could stem the advance with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The way Gaddafi's forces rolled through the opposition showed how effective this technique can be—it was probably more effective than airstrikes by government warplanes.